The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-30
SLOJD.
a System OF Teaching that Hns Proved
Successful In Sweden.

someone finds occupation. But II
hands are not to be idle when grown
up they mus: be taught how to be
useful while they are young. How this
is done in Sweden may be learned from
an interesting account of slojd teach
ing published in an appendix to the
technical instruction commissioners
second report
Slojd, or handwork, is the art OF
using ordinary implements--such as II
knife, saw, hammer, or n paint
brush. Mr. Squeers seems to have had
some shadowy notion of this system.
"C-l-e-a-n clean, w--n-d-e-r window;
now 90 and clean it," said that prac-
teal person. Slojd teaching Is to tech
meal instruction what a liberal edu-
cation is to professional training. II
isvalucd, not only as the first step
toward learning Il trade, but also as Il
training for the faculties. Apprecia-
ton of form, proper value of timc
and method, neatnest of manipulation,
and habits OF industry and sclf-reliauco
are some of the blessings with which
it is credited. Enthusiasts, moreover,
hope that by including manual work
amongtordinary school subjects bodily
labor may in time be raised from the
low esteem where it too often lies.
Slojd was invented by one Uno
Cygneus, Finn, who, after qualifying
in several handlcrafts, became school
master, and was commissioned to draw
up report on which the Finnish
system of government schools is based
In Sweden his system was copied some
fifteen years ago, and it has there
spread SO rapidly that in many of the
common schools slojd forms part of the
regular course. Those who view
Miandwork" merely rs training for
simple work in wood. But those who
value il also as subsidiary to technical
instruction teach slojd in many branch
ss, and carry it beyond the use of the
simplest tools. Bookbndng tinker
ing, smiths work, painting, basket
making shoemaking, and tailoring
are among their SUBJECTS and they
spare no effort to make the system at
tractive to pupils and parents. At
some schools pupils are allowed to
keep what they have made. or to buy
It cheaply; or, to secure continuous at
tendance, they are credited with de-
ferred pay, which they forfeit by leav-
ing before stipulated course has been
completed. On completion of the
course the pupil is presented with a
handbook representing his accumulat-
ed earnings, and receives a parting
counsel to increase them.
The parents sympathy is also angled
for. At school in Il laboring district
it is rule that pupils shall be taught
10 make and use such common imple-
ments as are most serviceable to work.
ing pcople-rakes, spades ax-handles,
and the like. Assiduous young thinkers,
tailors. and shoemakers are allowed
the use of school implements to make
the family repairs, and thus exists in
Sweden the phenomenon of self-re-
pairing boy, who mends his own raim-
ent and cobbles his own shoes.
As to the best recipe for making q
slojd teacher experts differ Some take
an artisan aud teach him pedagogy:
others prefer TO give n schoolmaster q
SHIRT training as an artisan. Both par
ties agree that the instruction must be
given nationally, and not by rule of
thumb; and on this principle series of
models have been prepared and courses
of method cal instruction are pre-
scribed. Joiners. for instance. pro-
gress gradually from flower-pot stick
to q table or wardrobe: whittlers from
''sausage-pegs" to jumping-jacks" and
Various animals, and the other crafts
men in like manner.
In Sweden, in Norway. and in Fin
land the system has proved most sue
cessful. There seems no reason why
it should not be introduced and become
equally successful here. The taste
among non-laboring classes for lusing
implements is universal. Too often,
however, the hands that guide the inn
plements are rather Jealous than skill
full But if schools taught slojd these
manual shortcomings would be reme-
died The tool-chest, now Pando-
ra's box of evil. bringing terror to pat
rental bosoms and imprecations on the
donor, would become blessing. In
stead of amputating chair-legs or stud
ding the furniture with tin tacks, its
skilled possessor would do the family
odd Jobs The penknifo found in the